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INTERPOL Illicit Arms Records and tracing Management System (iARMS)

About iARMS

The INTERPOL Illicit Arms Records and tracing Management System (iARMS) is a state-of-the art tool that facilitates information exchange and investigative cooperation between law enforcement agencies in relation to the international movement of illicit firearms, as well as licit firearms that have been involved in the commission of a crime.

iARMS is an integral part of the international strategy and operational framework to combat the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.

iARMS is an information technology system which provides a common global platform for firearm-related information exchange and cooperation, namely through:

Providing a centralized system for the reporting and querying of lost, stolen, trafficked and smuggled firearms by law enforcement agencies globally;

Facilitating the submission of, and responses to, international firearms trace requests including support to monitor the status of trace requests.

Firearms of interest

For the purposes of iARMS, a firearm is deemed to be “illicit” if:

It is considered illicit under the law of the country in whose territorial jurisdiction it is found; or

It is transferred in violation of an arms embargo decided by the United Nations Security Council in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations; or

It is not marked in accordance with the International Instrument to Enable States to Identify and Trace, in a Timely and Reliable Manner, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (International Tracing Instrument); or

It is manufactured or assembled without a license or authorization from the competent authority of the country where the manufacture or assembly takes place; or

It is transferred without a license or authorization as required by a competent national authority.